1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a panel detaching apparatus for car-mounted audio equipment which allows an operation panel for audio equipment to be dismounted from the body of the audio equipment installed in an automobile, such as CD player, cassette tape player or tuner, when a driver leaves his or her car, so that the audio equipment, if it should be stolen, cannot be used without the operation panel, thereby discouraging a possible theft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional panel detaching apparatus for audio equipment of this kind is shown in FIG. 10.
In the figure, reference symbol A indicates an audio equipment body, and B an operation panel removably installed in the audio equipment body A which has operation buttons for activating reproduction means such as CD player, cassette tape player and tuner.
The operation panel B has an engagement recess 1 at one side which engages with a projected strip 3 formed on one side of a panel-accommodating hollow portion in the audio equipment body A. The operation panel B also has an engagement recess 4 on the other side.
In the hollow portion 2 is provided a stationary shaft 5 on which an arm 6 is rotatably mounted. The shaft 5 has a torsion spring 7 mounted thereon to urge the front end of the arm 6 downwardly.
The arm 6 is provided with a shaft 8, on which is rotatably mounted a claw piece 9 whose front end, a claw portion 9a, is engaged in the engagement recess 4. The shaft 8 is also fitted with a torsion spring 10 that urges the claw portion 9a toward the engagement recess 4.
The operation panel B is installed as follows. With the engagement recess 4 of the operation panel B engaged with the claw portion 9a of the claw piece 9, as shown in FIG. 10, the operation panel B is pushed in the direction of arrow X against the force of the torsion spring 10 to connect the engagement recess 1 with the projected strip 3. Then the operation panel B is pushed toward the player body A, bringing the arm 6 into engagement with a stopper not shown.
Then the operation panel B is blocked from moving in the direction of arrow X by one side wall 2a of the hollow portion 2, thus rendering the engagement recesses 1, 4 immovable. Now, the operation panel B is completely installed in the audio equipment body A.
Next, when the arm 6 is disengaged from the stopper, the torsion spring 7 causes the arm 6 to rotate to the position shown. Now the operator moves the operation panel B in the direction of arrow X to remove the operation panel B from the audio equipment body A.
In such a panel detaching apparatus for audio equipment, when the two positions are compared, i.e., an installed position in which the operation panel B is mounted in the audio equipment body A and a pop-up position shown in the figure in which the operation panel B is pushed out of the audio equipment, the angle between the claw piece 9 and the arm 6 is greater in the latter position, which means the resisting force of the torsion spring 10 is larger in the pop-up position.
Thus, the force required to move the operation panel B in the direction of arrow X is larger than the one required for the claw portion 9a to hold the engagement recess 4, making the detaching operation difficult.